Late last year, visionary TOOL guitarist Adam Jones announced the ongoing Epiphone Adam Jones Les Paul Custom Art Collection, which channels his joint love of music and fine art through seven Silverburst Les Paul Custom guitars emblazoned with the artwork of five distinguished visual artists handpicked by Jones. The collection launched with Mark Ryden's "The Veil of Bees," featuring a piece by the acclaimed "Pop Surrealism" master.
Today (February 14th), Jones unveiled the second model in the collection and it's a doozy. This guitar displays Frank Frazetta's masterpiece "Berserker" on its back, with artwork on the rear headstock designed by world-renowned artist Korin Faught. "Berserker," also known as "Conan the Conqueror," was painted by Frazetta in 1968 for the cover of the Conan the Conqueror paperback novel — and the original painting is currently owned by none other than Metallica shredder Kirk Hammett.
"My exposure to Frank Frazetta began early in my life. There's something about his artwork that has spoken to me for as long as I can remember," Jones commented. "When I was very young, I would save money to buy his adult comic art and pulp novel covers without my parents' knowledge, sneaking them into the house undetected. To this day, as I work on my own projects, I'm transported back to those moments of discovery and influence. Frank's technical prowess is unmatched in his genre (I'm such a proud nerd…) and he continues to be one of my heroes.
"When Cesar at Gibson and I discussed a line of fine art-enhanced guitars, I hoped we would get permission to use one of Frank's images, and I am so grateful to his estate for allowing us to use 'Berserker' on this Epiphone Les Paul."
Sara Frazetta, Frank's granddaughter, added: "I was 13 years old when I first heard the TOOL song 'Schism,' it immediately resonated with me on a spiritual level and I've been a fan ever since. To collaborate with Adam Jones and my Grandfather's artwork on this gorgeous new Epiphone Art Collection of guitars has been amazing and seeing the guitars, it's clear Frazetta's art was destined for guitars."
Explore the Epiphone Adam Jones Les Paul Custom Art Collection here.
